Family Tragedy: Father Shoots Son, Kills Self

By James Steiner&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Mon 8:13 AM, Feb 14, 2005&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Mon 8:33 AM, Feb 14, 2005

A son speaks out, after being shot by his own father last night in Washoe Valley. The shooting happened on the 22-hundred block of East Lake Boulevard. Residents from that part of Washoe Valley were evacuated and the road was closed for a couple of hours. No son ever expects to be shot by his own father, but, that's what happened to 40-year-old Mike Cryer. One moment, he's making dinner in the kitchen...the next, he's dodging bullets. Two bullets struck Mike Cryer. One in the chest. The other fractured his left elbow. The first shot ONLY missed his heart by a quarter of an inch. Somehow, Cryer was able to get help...at a neighbor's house down the street. He says he didn't know he was shot until he started to feel cold while standing outside. In the meantime, Washoe County S.W.A.T & hostage teams didn't know where Cryer's father was. They set-up a perimeter around the house, and evacuated everyone in the neighborhood. For five hours, deputies waited. Finally, with the help of a police robot they found the man inside his home. The victim of an apparent self-inflicted gun shot wound. Family members say 69-year-old Curtis Cryer was going through a difficult time. He had just lost his job, and had been drinking that night. Cryer also says his father had pulled a gun on him before about three months ago. He father had moved him, shortly after his wife divorced him. It was Mike, his dad, and his brother all living under one roof. Up until that night, they were a tight-knit family. Cryer never could have guessed this would happen. Being shot was one thing but he says losing his dad is too much to bear. Ironically, just before the shooting, Cryer had a talk with his father. He told him no matter how hard times get, he loved him...and not to forget that. Cryer assured him everything would be O-K. Sadly that wasn't the case.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.